AMD making semi-custom chips for PS4, possibly for next-gen Xbox

Advanced Micro Devices is building semi-custom chips for Sony's PlayStation 4, and may be making them for Microsoft's next-generation Xbox as well, reports VentureBeat.

Vice president and general manager Saeid Moshkelani told VentureBeat the PS4 chip will use an accelerated processing unit that combines on the single chip AMD's graphics technologies and a microprocessor.

According to the report, AMD began quietly making semi-custom chips one year ago, likely around the same time it began working with Sony and Microsoft on chips for their next-gen consoles. Moshkelani said the semi-custom chips combine IP from both AMD's engineers and from the customers who order and help design the chips.

The PS4 is the first announced hardware to use the chips, but Moshkelani said AMD will focus on producing the chips for gaming hardware, set-top boxes, smart TVs, PCs, tablets and servers, among other high-performance devices

"Gaming is a great cornerstone of how a semi-custom business can be built," Moshkelani said. "As a company, we are investing heavily in this business, with projects lasting anywhere from six months for design to 18 months."

Hardware specs for the PS4 were released shortly after Sony's unveiling earlier this year and during GDC 2013. Microsoft will announced more details on the next Xbox console in an event on May 21.